⽆⼈综采⼯作⾯LASCtechnologyandCarboroughDowns
Feature Article
LASC technology and Carborough Downs Coal International’s Trevor Barratt, takes a closer look at LASC technology and Carborough Downs
L ASC longwall automation
technology is the outcome of
a major “Landmark” project
funding initiative of the Australian
Coal Association (ACA) through the
Australian Coal Association Research
Programme (ACARP). This ambitious
project began in July 2001 and was
undertaken by CSIRO Exploration &
Mining and the Cooperative Research
Centre for Mining Technology and
Equipment (CMTE, now CRC Mining).
CSIRO undertook a further 2005-
Dec 2007 extension of the project.
This progressed the earlier project
successes through to commercial-
ready technologies collectively known
as LASC Technology. The project was
closely monitored by the Longwall
Automation Steering Committee
(LASC), a body made up of industry
and ACARP representatives. Support
from major longwall equipment
manufacturers such as Joy, Bucyrus,
Inbye Mining and Eickhoff have been
critical to the success of the project.
The technology was first deployed
on an Eickhoff shearer in NSW and the first longwall mines to receive the commercial LASC system are Anglo Coal’s Moranbah North mine which has ordered a face with 151, 1,750 t, 2 m wide Joy roof supports and two Joy 7LS6 shearers. The technology is set to be utilised in worldwide longwalls with
Inbye Mining’s Polish partner Kopex which supplies the shields for the Carborough contract intending to sign its own licensing agreement with CSIRO to enable it to bring the technology to its traditional markets with other international companies set to follow. Pre-commercial automation systems
have already been proven and found a success at Xstrata’s Beltana, BMA’s Broadmeadow and Anglo’s Grasstree mines. Carborough Downs
The mine, located in Moranbah in Central Queensland, is operated
by Carborough Downs Coal Management Pty Ltd and started production of coking coal in August 2006. Using the “cut and flit” method it produces around 1.9 Mt/y, the current operations are focused on
the development of the gate roads
for the longwall panel ahead of the
scheduled installation later this year,
this will include ventilation upgrades,
electrical works, civil infrastructure
and conveyor installations, including
a 4.2 km overland conveyor system.
Leighton Contractors won a A$44
million contract in December 2008
for a two-year contract to build over
42,000 m of underground roadway
with Walter Mining securing the
$10 million contract to establish
the conveyor drift. The $401
million Carborough Downs planned
expansion owned by joint venture
partners Vale (80%), Tata Steel,
Nippon Steel and Posco (all 5%) and
JFE Steel and JFE Shoji (2.5% each),
plans to ramp up to 4.9 Mt/y run-of-
mine from the third quarter of this
year utilising new longwall equipment.
So what is so special about
Carborough. For one, it’s a new
longwall. Two, it is Brazilian giant
Vale’s first foray into longwall mining
in Australia. And third, and perhaps
most significantly, it is the first
complete longwall system contract
Inbye Mining Services has won with
its new partners Polish OEM Kopex. It
is also the first commercial installation
of LASC.
As the mine management at
Carborough prepare to ramp up
production Coal International
takes a brief look at the longwall
equipment being commissioned
and the companies involved.
Inbye Mining Systems
Previously a junior manufacturer
supplying coal clearance systems
to Australia’s longwalls, through a
number of agreements, affiliations
and working closely with other
manufacturers, Inbye has built itself
into an OEM that supplies the whole
longwall package. The pieces fell
into place for Inbye mid 2007 when
the company finalised its share
structure, selling part of the business
to Polish group Tagor/Kopex (50%
equity stake) and the Nepean Group
of companies giving it the financial
clout it needed. Inbye also announced
the acquisition of longwall electrical
service provider Longwall Advantage CSIRO Exploration & Mining’s Dr David Reid with Inbye Mining Services managing director, Richard Eveleigh. Inbye Mining Services signed a worldwide licensing agreement for CSIRO’s automation technology, enabling it to be one
of the first original equipment manufacturers to commercialise the technology underground this year at Vale’s Carborough Downs longwall in Queensland.
38 Coal International ? July/August 2009
Feature Article Pty Ltd in December last year
and renamed it Inbye Automation
Division. In addition to the established
Longwall Advantage products and
services, Inbye will be marketing and servicing the Tiefenbach range of longwall electro-hydraulic controls and specialist hydraulic components from this division. The division will also co-ordinate the implementation of the LASC technology on longwall equipment.
Training on the mini-build began in February at Inbye’s new workshop location in Mackay. While Inby
e Mining Systems is the main and controlling contractor for the Carborough Down’s longwall system, several manufacturers will supply the equipment. A primary goal of
the team is to be the first LASC platform which remains faithful to the open architecture of the Landmark Information System (LIS), ensuring interconnectivity of equipment without communication protocol converters, a vital requirement in markets where single-sourcing of equipment is not so prevalent. As mentioned previously LASC has been developed over the past few years at the likes of Beltana, Broadmeadow and Grasstree. The Carborough Downs installation, however, is the first time LASC has been purchased as part of a new commercial installation. The package for the mine includes the Shearer Position Monitoring System (SPMS), shield control Automated Face
Alignment module (AFA) and the
shearer control INS-based automated
horizon control module (INS).LASC
will be fitted onto global shearer
manufacturer Eickhoff’s SL1000
series shearer the first to be installed
in Australia. The high-powered
SL1000 series has previously found
success in Shenhua’s mines in
China. The shearer has total power
of 2,190 kW with 2 x 900 kW cutting
motors and top mounted hydraulic
securingarms, and teamed with the Eickhoff
shearer will be Inbye’s roof supports. The two leg shields, rated at 1,238 t, have structural design and hydraulic cylinders by Poland’s Tagor SA. The electro-hydraulic control system will be provided by Tiefenbach Control Systems of Germany. The supports include Tagor’s well proven but unique leg cylinder stainless steel-based Durachrom protective coating. For more than five years this system
has demonstrated greater protection
and durability than commonly used
electroplated coatings.
Tagor has included in its
specification for Carborough Downs
many design features it has learnt
from experience in delivery of
supports for thick and inclined seams,
including double side-shields, base-
Eickhoff’s SL 1000 Shearer Loader
Mining range: 2.5 – 6.2 m (8.2 – 20.3 ft)
Machine height: 2,100 mm (82.6 in)
Installed power: 2 x 1,080 kW (2 x 1,430 HP) Cutter motors
2 x 150 kW (2 x 200 HP) AC haulage motors
2 x 54 kW ( 2 x 72 HP) Hydraulic pump motors
Voltages: 3.3 kV (50 Hz); 4.16 kV (60 Hz)
Weight: 135 t (149 st)
Supports fitted with electro-hydraulic

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